Search This Blog

Kilts and Bikes Mix Admirably

I had to run down to the grocery today and was wearing one of my Utilikilts (for those of you keeping track at home, it was my tan original UK). I didn't feel like climbing into a pair of shorts, and decided that I was going to risk the fly-up factor.

My number one reason for not having done this thus far was that I didn't want to scare small children, have women constantly throwing their phone numbers at me (possibly getting into my brakes or derailleurs and forcing me off the road), or give drivers another reason to react with shock as I "suddenly appeared in front of them." You never know what people's reactions to a kilt are going to be.

But, I figured, the trip was less than a mile, round trip. So what the heck.

I am happy to announce that it worked PERFECTLY. Perhaps because the top bar on my bike frame is slightly lowered, the apron (or "front") of my kilt hung down perfectly and fly-up was never a concern. I was comfortable, ventilated, and stylish the entire trip down to Giant Eagle.

Comments

I could have told you that. :) Not that I wear kilts, but I bike in skirts more than I bike in pants, and I've never had problems with flyup. Short skirts (like a kilt) are best, in fact. Long skirts, I tie in a knot on the side, usually, so they don't get caught up in my brakes.

Oh, and I have a men's bike, too. Women's bikes are harder to get these days! In any case, welcome to the legions of pantless cyclists. :)

Why thank you. I figure, I've done enough stuff pantsless, I might as well add cycling to the mix. I was a bit concerned that my kilt would be rubbing against my rear tire but that wasn't an issue either.

And... fly-up, I think, is more of a problem for kilt wearers. Especially if the kilt is being worn properly, if you get my drift. :)

Carrie (who, for all of you who don't know, is my sister, and therefore deserving of whatever sardonic attitude I take toward her), if you'd READ my post, you'd see that the issue to which you're referring wasn't an issue at all. And why the heck shouldn't I be comfortable?

I have done about thirty miles in a chopped UK, it was fine. The only problem i have every had biking with a UK on was when i wore some spandex non bike shorts underneath, due to chafing from the shorts.

Coming to the party a few months late, but I'll add my tuppence-worth: I ride a Raleigh three-speed for short trips (think: Clif Bar Two-mile Challenge), pulling a kid trailer that I use for loads too bulky to haul with the rack-mounted bags. Since I prefer wearing a kilt to p@nt$, I'm often wearing a Utilikilt Workmans' model when I hop on the bike.

I've gone as far as fourteen miles each way to work wearing a kilt, including crossing the Ohio River from Louisville to southern Indiana, without problems from "wind-generated fly-up."

I have found, however, that some of my kilts are better than others for cycling. The UK Workmans and my Alphakilt do best for me, while the UK Original and Mocker are not as secure, due to their lighter weight fabrics.

I won't wear a kilt when riding my recumbents, though. The fabric on the sides interferes with my USS controls.

You must have a standard road bike. I tried my Utilikilt on a recumbent and it did not work. On a "bent" bike my legs are more horizontal and the wind pushed the kilt back. The wind did not flip it up just pushed it back. I was wearing something under it so exposure was not a problem but I suspect I was showing too much. Maybe the Utilikilt Workman model with the modesty strap would solve the problem. So for my recumbent it looks like I will have to stay in shorts.

To bikeolounger and Mike: Yes, I'd think a recumbent wouldn't be so wonderful an idea for a kilted cyclist. I do indeed ride an upright or "safety" bike, as they were called back in the days of pennyfarthings and the like.

Modesty snaps would certainly help. I rode wearing a Workman when I tried it, and that worked well due to the relative stiffness of the fabric. I didn't use the modesty snaps but that certainly would allay many of the fears of people like my sister. Riding in an original or a lighter-fabric Utilikilt would be problematic.

Thanks for your article, I've been wearing kilts full time for 7 years. I've wanted to get back to bike riding but was unsure about cycling in a kilt.Your experience has been encouraging.It can't be any harder than Mel Gibson on a horse!

The Dispatch report that Columbus Rides Bikes shared on Facebook today is entitled "More crashes come with more bicycle traffic on dedicated lanes," and discusses the new lanes and the number of accidents that have happened there. None of these accidents/crashes has been fatal.

So... you can read the article and get the statistics. Here's a summary of them, though, with a quote from the article:
...the number of crashes has jumped. Between 2012 and 2015, there were five crashes involving bicycles on Summit between Hudson and East 5th Avenue.…

In a move that has left quite a few people stranded in Columbus, the ride-sharing company Car2Go has announced today that they're pulling out of the local market as of May 31.

car2go is saddened to announce that we have made the difficult decision to suspend our operations in Columbus as of May 31. Read why here: https://t.co/gRSibUhotB
— car2go Columbus (@car2goColumbus) May 24, 2018
This has got me more than a little pissed off and very inconvenienced.

There's no doubt - Car2Go improved the quality of my family's life for the past few years while they were active in town. As a one-car family where I rode my bike and took the bus most days, Car2Go filled in the gap nicely when we needed that extra set of wheels to get ourselves places.

Here's the news they sent out via their website today:

HELLO,
We’re writing to let you know that after careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue car2go service in Columbus, effective May 31, 2018.
In 201…

I've been out with the flu for a few days (no, I'm not oinking), and I missed this surprising post from Jeff Stephens of Consider Biking back on October 9th. Suffice to say that Jeff took some time to sit back and watch the behavior of our city's cyclists, and was dismayed at what he saw. I'm in complete agreement with Jeff on this issue. Simply too many Columbus cyclists do not obey the law. But let's look at the reasons that Jeff proposed in his commentary: Why are you riding this way? Are you so self-absorbed, that the world revolves around you? Are you just opportunistic since the bicycle gives you the opportunity to cheat traffic? Are you “expressing yourself” with your nonchalant coolness, hipness, whatever? Or, do you just not know any better? Do you just follow the example of the guy/gal in front of you because you’re new to urban bicycling? (I think it’s the latter.)Jeff's statement breaks the possible reasons for this behavior down into two extrem…